NORA Town Hall Meetings

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of NORA, NIOSH and its partners have traveled the country to seek public input on the future of occupational safety and health research. Thirteen stakeholder meetings occurred. Over 1000 people attended the meetings and approximately 500 people presented their views about important research needs. Their feedback is crucial to the development of updated research agendas for the second decade of NORA.

The town hall meetings attracted a diverse range of participants and viewpoints. Teenage workers in Lowell, for example, described the risk of violent crime youth workers face on the job. Farm safety advocates in Seattle urged for the development of safer machinery. Global health researchers in Piqua, Ohio, presented on the needs of workers in developing nations. The collective feedback ranged from workers, professional societies, organized labor, employers, researchers, health professionals, government officials and elected representatives.

Each meeting had a morning and an afternoon public comment period. Meeting content varied between an entirely regional focus to a combination of regional and sector specific sessions. Participants were asked to provide input on which diseases, injuries, exposures, or populations required the greatest research focus. Attendees also spoke on the needs of the occupational safety and health system and the types of research and partners needed to make a difference. Details of each meeting, including the partners, agenda, and verbatim transcripts are available.

Comments received at the Town Hall meetings as well as those received by internet, email and mail have been categorized and made available as NIOSH Docket Number 047.